People v. Ouellette

In the unrelated narcotics cases of the defendants, Joseph V. Ouellette and Thomas E. Smith, the circuit court of Kankakee County granted the defendants’ motions to suppress evidence. On a consolidated appeal, the appellate court affirmed (57 Ill. App. 3d 249). We granted the State leave to appeal (65 Ill. 2d R. 315(b)). The issue is whether police are required to knock and announce their authority and purpose in the execution of a search warrant for narcotics. Stated another way, the issue is whether there are circumstances which justify police failure to knock and announce their authority…